Brandt sentenced to prison in Greenville motorcyclist's death

Tuesday

May 14, 2013 at 6:45 PMMay 15, 2013 at 2:16 PM

Cynthia Younker's boyfriend: "She was my best friend."

Karen Botakaren.bota@sentinel-standard.com

Christopher Brandt will spend 81 months to 15 years with the Michigan Department of Corrections for reckless driving which caused the death of 33-year-old Cynthia Younker of Greenville March 21, 2012, in Easton Township.

Brandt was given credit for 278 days served, and also received a fine of $2,500, plus court costs and fees.

"I just want to say how very sorry I am," Brandt said at his sentencing Tuesday morning in Ionia County 8th Circuit Court by Judge David Hoort. "I am very remorseful."

The crash happened about 10:10 p.m., after Younker, who was traveling north on M-66 on a motorcycle, collided with a vehicle driven by Brandt of Ionia, then 19, at the intersection of Dildine Road. According to a Michigan State Police press release, Brandt's vehicle pulled onto northbound M-66 from Dildine Road and in front of the victim.

Younker was pronounced dead at the scene. Brandt was treated at Sparrow Ionia Hospital for minor injuries, MSP said.

Ionia County Prosecutor Ron Schafer said he pursued charges because Brandt admitted to drag racing at the time he was involved in the accident, he was driving at speeds in excess of 100 mph., he was driving while his license was suspended, and he ran the stop sign at Dildine Road and M-66 when he hit the victim.

One of the original charges against Brandt, for driving while license suspended, was dropped. According to the Ionia County Prosecutor’s Office, after investigation it was determined Brandt had a valid driver’s license with restrictions.

"You destroyed the life of the most beautiful person I know," Johnson said, adding that Brandt also destroyed the lives of Younker's family and friends, as well as Johnson's. "You're personally responsible for taking her life. She was my best friend."

"Unlike yourself, she was an asset to society. This was no accident – it was your blatant disregard for others," he said. "There's not enough time in jail you could spend. Sometimes you just can't fix stupid."

Schafer told the court that in preparing this case, "which got very close to trial," he learned a lot about Younker and her family, whom he called "remarkable people.

"It was pretty obvious she was an extraordinary woman. As her brother said, she was a real asset to society, and to date (Brandt) is anything but," he said. "I hope the sentencing changes his attitude, but I haven't seen it to date."

Brandt's attorney, Walter Downes, said it was not appropriate to compare the life of a 19-year-old with that of a 33-year-old, "and say one is a success and the other is not." He also noted that there was a co-defendant "who was very much involved": the individual with whom Brandt was drag-racing March 21. While that does not excuse his client, Downes said, the co-defendant has not been brought forth nor held accountable.

"Mr. Brandt has to live with this incident every day for the rest of his life," Downes said, adding that a 90-day sentence for possession of marijuana that Brandt served after the accident was not due to his disregard for the law, but the difficulty he was having dealing with the accident that killed Younker.

"He struggles with this every day and will," he said. "This has affected Mr. Brandt and his family, too. That doesn't make it any easier for the victim's family. I don't think either party is happy with the recommendations (for the sentence)."

The 20-year-old Ionia man could have faced life in prison for the charge of homicide-murder in the second degree, which was dismissed pursuant to a plea deal.

"I think Cynthia's brother is correct that you should spend the rest of your life in prison," Hoort said before sentencing Brandt to 81 months in prison. "I hope it causes you to pay back the person's life you took, with such promise, who had already made such a difference. Maybe a change you make in your life may be worth something."